[Studies on the composting of feathers (author's transl)].

The nitrogen of keratin of feathers is not taken up by plants as a suitable N-source. It becomes available by the keratinolytic activity of microorganisms. The high temperature evolved during the composting process promotes the growth and activity of thermophilic, keratin-decomposing microorganisms, e.g. Thermoactinomyces vulgaris. The increasing in temperature (self-heating) reflects the course of composting. A feather-peat mixture exhibits a considerably high heat production, i.e. a fast decomposition of keratin and other organic matter.